Five Shops Not to Miss in Amsterdam

Since landing in Amsterdam Monday morning, we've been in and out of countless shops to stake out which spots are worth our euros. Here's our list of notables, all of which are within walking distance of the very city center.

Van Ravenstein

A high-end designer clothing store in a somewhat quieter section of Amsterdam's Nine Streets neighborhood. The spacious store is known for carrying mostly Belgian designers, but also houses a decent amount of Dutch, too. Linda, former model/owner, stocks with Dries van Noten, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Spijkers en Spijkers, A.F. Vandevorst and Viktor & Rolf, just to name a few. Stop by on Saturdays when Linda puts all her wares out outlet-style.

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Van Ravenstein, Keizersgracht 359, +31(0)20 6390067

Young Designers United

Perfectly within walking distance of Van Ravenstein is Young Designers United, a small shop stocked with – you guessed it – emerging designers. The racks serve as mini-boutiques for each designer, which rotate every two weeks. Each label is hand-picked by the store's director, Angelica, who even serves as a sort of mentor for those designers she includes in her shop, helping them figure out how to stand out in a country that seems to always be championing the next new, young fashion star. For those of you stateside, there's e-commerce, too.Young Designers United, Keizersgracht 447, +31(0)20 6269191

Laura Dols

If you have plenty of time on your hands and a serious want for vintage, we suggest Laura Dols, a shop so full of clothing and accessories they needed to open a second spot across the street. You can find belts, bags, hats, kimonos, you name it, and often for a very good price, which can usually be negotiated anyway. Our best find was a vintage Dior hat that we doubt will be available for very long.

Laura Dols, Wolvenstraat 7, +31(0)20 6249066

Parwan

This small shop on one of Amsterdam's prettiest but busiest canals is not to be missed. The shopkeeper packs the store with necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, you name it, from all over the world, with a concentration in India, Turkmenistan and Turkey. The selection mirrors the very international community of Amsterdam, and is really the go-to spot for those searching for the perfect lapis ring or hammered metal cuff.

Parwan, Herengracht 234, +31(0)20 625613

Galerie Geluk

If you're looking for a special treasure to take home – be it anything from a silver rose ring to a piece of authentic Buddhist art for your living room – skip the tourist traps near the Dam and head to this shop in the Nine Streets (can you tell that's the premier shopping neighborhood?). It feels exactly like any worthwhile store should – packed with goods, maybe a little old, and like it would take days of wandering around to actually appreciate every little oddity crammed into the store's countless shelves. The only downside? The owner closes shop when traveling the world to re-stock – we're told she'll likely be gone both this August and November.